Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces and investigates (Civil Investigative Demands) fraudulent, unfair and deceptive practices, as well as anticompetitive marketplace conduct. It possesses investigative authority pursuant to Sections 6, 9 and 20 of the FTC Act. Following an investigation, the FTC may initiate a consumer protection or antitrust enforcement action. The basic consumer protection statute enforced by the FTC is Section 5(a) of the FTC Act. Consumer protection laws are enforced by the Bureau of Consumer Protection. Antitrust laws are enforced by the Bureau of Competition.
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How to Comply With FTC and California Strike-Through Pricing Laws
Strike-through “comparison” pricing is a popular marketing technique where a higher “regular” price is listed on advtertising materials and crossed out in close proximity to a lower, “discounted” sale price. The practice is enforced when “unfair or deceptive” by federal and state regulatory bodies, as well as private plaintiffs. FTC Guides Against Deceptive Pricing Section…
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What are Key Factors the FTC Considers When Calculating Monetary Civil Penalties?
The Federal Trade Commission generally seeks monetary civil penalties when it is alleging violations of rules that the agency enforces, such as the Telemarketing Sales Rule, the Made in USA Labeling Rule, the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the Review and Testimonials Rule. The Federal Trade Commission increases its maximum civil…
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Rental Property Manager Agrees to Pay $24 Million and Stop Alleged Deceptive Advertising Practices
On December 2, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission announced that “the nation’s largest multi-family rental property manager” has agreed to pay $23 million to the Federal Trade Commission and $1 million to the State of Colorado and stop alleged deceptive advertising practices. According the announcement, the foregoing “resolve charges that the company misled consumers about…
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FTC “Click to Cancel” Rule and California’s Updated Automatic Renewal Law
On October 16, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission announced the final FTC “Click-to-Cancel” Rule pertaining to recurring subscriptions and memberships. The Federal Trade Commission is not the only regulatory agency that actively enacts, updates and polices legislation governing autorenewals, subscriptions and continuous service offers. For example, state attorneys general are, in some instances, more aggressive…
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